Dr Martens (LON:DOCS) kept its guidance steady on Thursday as it reported trading in line with expectations at the start of its financial year.
The bootmaker said demand in the Americas remains encouraging, particularly in its direct-to-consumer retail channel, where full-price sales are holding up. Elsewhere, the picture is mixed. Asia Pacific is seeing solid growth thanks to a strong showing in South Korea, while EMEA sales are described as more variable. The UK continues to lag, with the company citing a “challenging trading backdrop”.
Order books for the autumn/winter season are described as healthy, with EMEA ahead of last year and the Americas broadly flat, though helped by a broader product range.
As expected, Dr Martens said profitability will be skewed toward the second half of the year. Management reiterated its focus on a consumer-first strategy aimed at widening appeal and tightening execution.
Shares edged up just over 2% on Thursday morning.